They've travelled the world, ticking 37 countries on their list, and have been to India thrice but the south has always been unexplored territory for the emperor and empress of Japan. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will be in Chennai on December 4 and 5, after spending four days in Delhi.
After a round of formal visits in Delhi, the royal couple plan to relax in Chennai, indulging in their love for music and culture. After lunch with the Governor and his wife at Raj Bhavan, the emperor and empress, both 79, will visit Guindy National Park, take in a few performances at Kalakshetra, and meet disabled children at the Spastics Society of Tamil Nadu. They will also visit some cultural organisations to meet students learning Japanese here.
"The two countries are linked by culture and tradition. In recent years, economic relations between the two countries have strengthened and business has grown," said Masanori Nakano, Consul-General of Japan at Chennai.
The two, who are great lovers of music, will watch a Bharatanatyam performance and listen to the veena, which is similar to the Japanese biwa, at Kalakshetra. Empress Michiko plays the piano, while the emperor plays the cello.
The issue of equal opportunity is also close to the royal couple's heart, and they plan to spend time at Spastics Society, which receives funding from Japanese agencies. They played a role in starting the national games for the disabled in Japan and made a case for greater opportunities for the disabled in society.
Nakano said the visit will reinforce people-to-people ties, which dates back to the 8th century when Bodhisena, a Buddhist monk from Tamil Nadu, visited Japan. In the past 10 years, though, business ties have increased between the countries. TN has more than 360 Japanese companies, the most in the country, and the city is home to 750 Japanese residents.
After a round of formal visits in Delhi, the royal couple plan to relax in Chennai, indulging in their love for music and culture. After lunch with the Governor and his wife at Raj Bhavan, the emperor and empress, both 79, will visit Guindy National Park, take in a few performances at Kalakshetra, and meet disabled children at the Spastics Society of Tamil Nadu. They will also visit some cultural organisations to meet students learning Japanese here.
"The two countries are linked by culture and tradition. In recent years, economic relations between the two countries have strengthened and business has grown," said Masanori Nakano, Consul-General of Japan at Chennai.
The two, who are great lovers of music, will watch a Bharatanatyam performance and listen to the veena, which is similar to the Japanese biwa, at Kalakshetra. Empress Michiko plays the piano, while the emperor plays the cello.
The issue of equal opportunity is also close to the royal couple's heart, and they plan to spend time at Spastics Society, which receives funding from Japanese agencies. They played a role in starting the national games for the disabled in Japan and made a case for greater opportunities for the disabled in society.
Nakano said the visit will reinforce people-to-people ties, which dates back to the 8th century when Bodhisena, a Buddhist monk from Tamil Nadu, visited Japan. In the past 10 years, though, business ties have increased between the countries. TN has more than 360 Japanese companies, the most in the country, and the city is home to 750 Japanese residents.
No comments:
Post a Comment